Shark V Tiger

Published: Sep 07 , 2017
Author: Alan Smith

You may remember, or have kids that do, the magnificent game Top Trumps. It was a card game popular with kids’ in the 1970s and 1980s, especially amongst pre-teens, for whom it was a widespread playground pastime. The subjects covered included military hardware, modes of transport, racing cars and predators. The packs of cards tended to be priced so that children could collect out of their pocket money.

They also played to kid’s fascination with competition. My own son was particularly fascinated with the predator cards. One memorable imagined battle was who would win in a fight between a shark and a tiger.

This came back into my mind as I watched the big money fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor in one of the most eagerly awaited and highest earning fights in boxing history. Not sure which was the tiger and which the shark, but in their own fields they are both significant predators.

McGregor had been written off before the fight, but the Irishman surprised many of his critics with a largely professional display, taking the fight to 10 rounds.

Whilst McGregor got off to a flying start, throwing a series of punches at the 40-year-old and scoring a few early points, he was perhaps inevitably beaten by a technical knockout in the 10th round.

McGregor is a champion at Mixed Martial Arts, the largely brutal, anything-goes (except gouging and small joint manipulation!!!) sport, but he was outclassed in the ring by the much more disciplined and canny Mayweather.

I am occasionally asked the question about who would ‘win’ in a negotiation between a professional negotiator or a gifted amateur. Whilst the concept of a “win” in negotiation is different (an ideal situation, unlike in a fight where both parties can at least claim some degree of victory) and the relative power and alternatives of the two parties have a lot to play in the outcome.

The reality is that the more comfortable that the negotiator is in that environment and the greater the skill set, honed by focused preparation, correct practice and repetition, the more likely they are to achieve their objectives.

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We all face the New Year with a variety of perspectives – simplify… clarify… amplify… save money… make more money… spend more time exercising… eat healthier… the list goes on and on. Negotiating with ourselves is a lifelong journey – it never goes away…but we can get better at it.